Friday, January 28 2005 10:37 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Finance Minister Muzaffar Hussain Baig and a ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) MLA Zahoor Ahmed Mir escaped unhurt yesterday (Jan 27, 2005) as suspected militants lobbed grenades towards them in Baramulla and Pulwama districts of the state.

A grenade was hurled targeting Baig at Sumbal, 26 kms from Srinagar in Baramulla district, when he was on way to Hajan to address an election rally there, officials said.

The Minister, when contacted, said that the explosive device fell in front of him at Sumbal and was kicked away by a senior police officer accompanying him.

"Luckily the grenade failed to explode," he said.

The election rally which was to be addressed by Baig was also disrupted as supporters of Jammu and Kashmir Awami League attacked the people who assembled there to listen to the Minister, officials sources said adding 20 people were injured in the clash.

Asked why police was not confirming the grenade attack on him, Baig said, "Police is always telling lies to cover up their negligence."

He also alleged that some of the police officers had nexus with their enemies. "They (police) are hiding the facts as they did in Uri, 100 kms from Srinagar in Baramulla district last year when PDP President Mehbooba Mufti and I escaped unhurt in the blast that killed several people," he alleged. Earlier, a PDP MLA from Pampore Zahoor Ahmed Mir escaped unhurt in a grenade attack carried out by militants in the local tehsil office in Pulwama district injuring 26 people, including four policemen, an official spokesman said.